Rail anchor



R. E- KEOUGH RAIL ANCHOR Filed March 192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec 1 I 1 R. E. KEOUGH RAIL ANCHOR Filed March 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. Il, 1928.

V UNITED STATES 1 ,694,878 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT EMMET KEO'UGH, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERI- CAN FORK & HOE'COMPANY, F CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

BAIL ANCHOR.

Application filed March 2, 1927. Serial No. 171,953.

base and prevent the rail from creeping in either direction when trains pass over therail in either direction.

Another object of my inventlon is to provide an anti-creeping device for rails adapted to support a rail gripping member wholly below the rail base flange.

Another object of my invention 18; to provide an anti-creeping devlce for rails comprising a rail grlpping member and a buffer member and wherein the buffer member may have a portion adapted'to grip the rail.

Another object of my invention resides in the provision of an improved anti-creeping device for rails able in'use, economical to manufacture, and which maybe readily applied to. the, rail by a simple operation. 1

These and other objects of my invention and the invention itself will become apparent from reference to the following description of certain embodiments thereof and inwhich description reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thls speclfication.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 shows a top plan view of a fragment of a rail and a pair of rail ties embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 shows a side elevational view of the same; i

Fig. 3 shows a transverse sectional v1e'w taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1

Fig. 4 shows a fragmentary perspective View of the foregoing embodiment illustrating the gripping action of the anchor member on the rail base flange;

Fig 5 shows a top plan view of a fragment of a rail and a pairof adjacent rail ties embodying a modified form, of my invention;

Fig. 6 shows a side elevational View of the same; and

Fig. 7 shows a transverse sectional vlew taken on the line 7:? of Fig. 5.

which is durable and service-v Referring to the drawings and referring first to the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like reference characters, at 10, I show a railroad rail of the conventional form having a rail head flange 11, a rail base flange 12, and an interconnecting web 13. At 14 and 15, I show two railroad ties preferably spaced apart the standard distance and having rail chairs 16 and 17 on which the rail base flange rests in supporting the rail.

The anti-creeping device preferably comprises a buffer plate, generally indicatediat 20, liavlng an integral depressed central base portlon 21 preferably disposed equi-distant from the ties. The base portion is preferably provided with a pair of upstanding rearwardly inclined notched flanges23 and 24, forming an integral part of the buffer plate. Extending upwardly and longitudinally of the rail are a pair of wings 25 and 26, preferably bent at 27 and 28 into the horizontal plane-of the rail base flange and extending from the top surface of the ties laterally of the rails and out of contact therewith .and integrally joined with the base portion 21,01? the substantially :U-shaped rail anchor element 22 the wings 25 and 26 being provided with apertures 29 and 30 adjacent their ends through which spikes 31 are driven to retain the buffer plate 20 to the ties.

Flanges 23 and 24 are obliquely notched at 32 and 33, to produce aligned slots adapted to embrace a rail base flange edge 34. A cooperative rail gripping member comprising a one-piece 'flat resilient steel shank 40 having an upturned hooked end 41 adapted to be projected between parallel flanges 23 and 24 and the base 22 of the U-shaped anchor element and adapted to effect engagement with the railbase flange edge at 43, with an intermediate portion flexed downwardly at 42 from a point of contact with the rail flange 1 at 44 out of contact with the rail base flange and pressed upwardly into contact with the bottom of the rail base flange adjacent the opposite edges. The shank of the member 35 is bent back upon itself to form a loop 48 adapted to be wedged between the bottom of the rail base flange and the platform or floor 57 of the buffer plate 20 by virtue of the resiliency of the loop thereby causing the notched U-shaped anchor element 22 to exert a downward inward pull on the element 22 to cause it to move inwardly toward the middle of the rail, and simultaneously eflectin a lateral drawing action on the hooked-en 41 of the.

of theloo is bent upwardly at 46 and contacts wit the intermediate downwardly flexed shank portion at a point indicated at 47, and tends to flex the shank upwardly to straighten the same while efiectively retainin the gripping member on the rail.

he ra1l gripping member is preferably of a width to fit between the impact flanges 23 and 24 so that the slight clearance between the sides of the flanges and the edges of the gripping member is only suflicient to permit a slight tilting or rocking of the gripping mem er in a longitudinal direction relative to the rail, thereby relieving unnecessary stresses on the member.

The gri per member may be applied to the rail base ange between the impact flanges by a force'exerted on the looped end by a tool, such as a maul, which drives the hooked end of the anchor across the rail base flange and at the same time partially straightens the curved portion of the shank until the hooked end of the anchor snaps onto the edge of the rail base flange; the intermediate portion of the shank will now flex downwardly away from the bottom face of the rail base flange considering the hooked end to securely grip the edge of the rail base fl ange,'wh1le the looped end will be wedged. in the U-shaped plate 20 and draw the edges of the notches 32 and 33 into gripping engagement with the up er and lower e anchor plate 20 and the rail and anchor element 35 are preferably disposed e(j)ui-dis-' I tant between the rail ties and prefera ly positioned beneath the rail base flange. I

forming a second portion of the rail gripper.

Referrin to Fi 5, 6 and 7, I have illustrated anot er em odiment of my invention which is similar in operation to the foregoing embodiment. However, in this embodiment of my invention, I contemplate rovidin a buffer late 20' with a pair of' ownwar ly extending flanges 23 and 24. Between the flanges, I dispose a'U-shaped member comprising a portionof the rail gripping anchor, the si es 1 and 72 of whic are notched at 32 and 33 into which the rail base flan e ex-' tends. I dispose a rail gripping shan 35' similar in construction to the rail gripping member 35 of the foregoing embodiment,

whereby, when'applied to the rail in this manner, the flan es 23 and 24' act as impact receiving mem ers for the lower portions of the sides of the U-shaped member 70 and overcome tendency of the rail anchor to creepor move longitudinally on the rail base flange.

Such a bufl'er plate as illustrated in this form aces of the rail base flange.

of the invention is articularly adaptable to permit the railanc or shank 35 and the U- shaped member 70 to be removed from the rail base flange without necessitating removal ofthe buffer plate 20 from the ties.

While I do not wish to limit-my invention to the specific form of the rail gripping member'35 and 35- and U-shaped notched retainers 22 and 70, respectively, and which are sub-- stantially of the form illustrated, described and claimed in the prior patent to Fran-- c'is W. Cooper, No. 1,618,57 6,. dated February 22, 1927, except that the said patent does not disclose anything corresponding to the winged buffer element of the present application. I contemplate employing various types of rail gripping members adaptable forpractical use in connection with the buffer plate 20 and 20.

In the embodiments of my invention herein described, it is tobe noted that engagement is had between the portions of the element secured by spikes to the adjacent ties, and the U-shaped notched elements of the rail anchor, substantially as shown in the said Cooper patent, below the level of the rail base flange. This is very important as in other constructions wherein engagement is had at the level of the rail base flange or above it, not nearly so efficient a ripping action will be had responsive to t e longitudinal movements of. the rail in both directions, which, movements are most efliciently restrained, with resilience of restraint by the mechanisms described herein by virtue of the engagement below the rail base flange. Such engagement accomplishes a tendency toward tilting of theU-shaped body relative to'the rail base and causes the ite more firmly the rail base flange to thus secure a better grip thereupon commensuraws formedin the notched plate flanges to I able with the amount of the tendency toward longitudinal movement affected by the rails.

Having thus described my invention in cerlateral portions of the anges and comprising a downwardly extending ortion below one of'the rail base flanges an laterally extending wings-rigidly oined to the downwardly extending portion at .a substantial distance below the rail base flange, adapted to be secured to the adjoining air of rail sup ortin ties to prevent later' movement of t e anc or in its lowermost portion.

2. In a rail anchor, a railgrip ing mechanism adapted to be secured to t e rail base flanges and comprising a notched jaw adapt- .ed to receive within its notcha projecting lateral portion of a rail base flange and hav-' ing a portion integral therewith depending therefrom to a substantial distance below theflange and means having a laterally extending portion adapted to be spiked to an adjoining rail supporting tie rigidly joined to a lower part of said depending portion.

3. In a rail anchor, a rail gripping meoha- 4. In a rail anti-creeper, the combination with a U-shaped body, having notched arms adapted to hook onto one edge of a rail base and a holding anchor member adapted to pass through the body and hookinglymngage the opposite edge of the rail base, the holding member being formed to engage towards its ends with the under surface of a rail base and spaced intermediate its ends from the rail base and means adapted to take the. lateral thrusts imparted to the body compris ing laterally extending arms adapted to be spiked to the rail supporting ties in portions remote from the body and to directly hold portions of the body disposed below the rail base from lateral movement relative to said ties.

5. In an anti-creeper for railroad rails, in combination with a rail anchor comprising a body part and a holding part, said body part comprising a portion of substantially U-shaped form with aligned notches through.

'its arms and having an intermediate portion disposed below the rail base, said holding member comprising a bent shank and a loop at one end of the shank adapted for compression between the body seat and a rail base, and a hooked end for'the holding member adapted to be projected upwardly upon compression of the loop against the rail and to hookingly engage the edge of the rail base opposite said body, and a holding element adapted to be spiked at its ends to different rail supporting ties and having a depressed" intermediate portion adapted to hold portions of the bodydisposed below the level of the rail base against substantial lateral movement.

6. In an anti-creeper for railroad rails, in

combination with a two-piece rail anchor,-

comprising a wedge-shaped spring member having a hooked end and a U-sha ed body having parallel arms with alinerf notches adapted to embrace one flange of a-rail base, said spring member projected between the arms of the body and engageable with the intermediate seat thereof, and adapted to be.

resiliently compressed between the said seat and the bottom surface of the rail base, andmeans comprising a sheet metal strip adapted to rigidly hold the body in its lower portion against lateral movement, said strip adapted to have its ends perforated to receive securing spikes projected into difi'erentrail sup-j porting ties and arr-intermediate depressed portion for holdingthe said lower portion of the body: a

7. In a rail anti-creeper, the combination with abuffer plate comprising a body having an. intermediate depressed portion, a pair of parallel flanges extending upwardly therefrom, apair of aligned notches in the parallel flanges adapted to receive a portion of a rail' I base flange and grip the same, and a looped holding member passed between .the said parallel flanges, the intermediate'depressed portion of the plate, and the bottom of the rail base, and to hookingl'y engage the edge of the rail base opposite said notched flanges,

and integral means extending between each of a pair of adj acentrailsupporting ties and spiked rigidly thereto, adapted-to restrain lower portions of thebody flanges against movement in either direction and to effect tiltlng'of the body to increase the grip of the body upon the rail flange.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflik my signature this 16th day of Feb, 1927.

BOBER'AI EMMET KEOUGHI. 3 

